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Oregon schools start the year with more in state funds but few improvements

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Springville K-8 School teacher Pam Abbott takes her first-graders through the day's procedures, which includes the date. Abbott has 30 students in her classroom this year, the same as last year.
(WENDY OWEN/The Oregonian)

Despite a nearly $1 billion bump in state education funding, the story hasn't changed much for schools as they welcomed students on the first day of school Tuesday.

Few districts in Washington, Clackamas and Multnomah counties were able to add back anything, unless voters passed a local option levy or bond measure.

The additional state money, instead, lessened the severity of cuts, superintendents said. Districts sliced fewer days from the calendar, reduced fewer teaching jobs and added fewer students to already large class sizes.

Tack onto that a slew of state and federal initiatives to be implemented this year from Common Core standards to new teacher evaluations.

"It's going to be one heck of a challenge," said Lake Oswego Superintendent Bill Korach.

Still, some educators have hope that things will improve and, in some areas, they're seeing some gains.

First day of school

More than a dozen school districts around the Portland Metro area started the year Tuesday with more opening throughout the week and into next week. Portland Public Schools begins today. In total, more than 563,000 students will step into classrooms across Oregon.

In Beaverton, a local option levy generating $15 million a year for five years and a surprise $2.3 million contribution from Washington County and the city of Hillsboro, helped the district return about half of the 344 teaching positions it lost last year.

"There's a really nice energy right now," said Superintendent Jeff Rose, referring to the start of the school year.

Class sizes dropped by a few students at some grade levels, but teachers and parents said there's still a long way to go.

"I wish it were better, but we're just glad it's not worse," said Rhiana Stapelmann,after she gave her sons reassuring high-fives and shouted, "We're rooting for you," as they headed off to their third- and fifth-grade classrooms Tuesday.

Stapelmann was the levy campaign leader for Springville K-8 School in Bethany.

View full sizeFirst grader Savi Bansore, 6, gets to work on her first day of school at Springville K-8 School in Bethany, north of Beaverton. WENDY OWEN/The Oregonian

"We're hoping the politicians will keep it going," she said, of education funding.

Hillsboro schools also received a share of the Washington County and city of Hillsboro "Gain Share" funds. Under Gain Share, local jurisdictions that waive millions in property taxes to lure businesses -- primarily Intel and Genentech -- get a share of state income taxes generated by those new jobs.

The Hillsboro district used its $1.2 million to add three of five cut days back to the school calendar, making it the longest school year in about four years. But the funding didn't keep Hillsboro from having to cut more teaching jobs. The district laid off five teachers this year and class sizes continue to grow.

In some cases, optimism has been replaced with resolve.

"I don't know what next year will bring," said Butternut Creek Elementary Principal Enedelia Schofield "This is what we know now. This is what we have in our backpack. Let's put it to work."

North Clackamas School District Superintendent Matt Utterback said state funding has helped stabilize the school district of 17,000 students.

The district didn't cut any teachers this school year and is rebuilding its nearly depleted reserves, but it chopped eight days from its calendar.

"I do think, financially, things are turning around," he said. "It's going to take us years, however, to dig out of the abyss."

Superintendents at Parkrose School District in Multnomah County and Canby School District in Clackamas County had to search for signs of hope.

"Financially, we will suffer this year," said Parkrose Superintendent Karen Gray. "We cut nine school days and more staff. Class sizes are up all over. I don't see any light in any tunnel."

But, she added, "Overall, our academic scores are moving up for all kids and we are excited to keep that trend going."

Canby ran out of reserves last year and had to reduce the equivalent of $1.3 million in staff and days for this school year, said Superintendent John Steach.

The furlough days consumed most of the planned staff training for the series of implementations due this year, Steach said.

As for a light at the end of the tunnel, Steach said, "I assured (teachers), unless the Legislature does something else to us, I don't see any other implementations at this point."